If you live in Alaska or are vacationing or visiting in the State of Alaska and you are stopped for a DUI (driving under the influence) offense, you will need to quickly find a lawyer licensed to practice in the State of Alaska.

Each state differs but you usually only have between 7 and 30 days to challenge your case or your driver’s license will be automatically suspended. Find a lawyer in Alaska to help you with your case.

Below is a brief summary of Alaska’s laws governing DUI charges and convictions:

• 0.08 is the blood alcohol limit at which DUI charges are made
• If you fail the blood alcohol test, or refuse to take the test, your driver’s license is automatically suspended
• Upon conviction, an ignition interlock system is mandated to be placed in your vehicle
• Repeat offenses equals a felony conviction

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges or DUI charges are a serious crime with harsh penalties. This is a crime that is not taken lightly. With more offenses occurring each year, stiffer punishment is consistently being delivered to offenders.

DWI/DUI Penalties

It is important to know what is at stake. If you are convicted on your DUI arrest, several possible alternatives exist:

• Suspension or revocation of your driver’s license
• Possible jail time
• A hefty monetary fine
• If you get your driver’s license back, your insurance rates will raise substantially

New laws/New penalties/Additional charges

Laws governing DUI charges vary from state-to-state and the laws are constantly changing and being upgraded. It is important for you to hire an attorney licensed in Alaska to defend you. Some recent changes include stiffer penalties in the following cases:

• Underage drivers who have any trace of alcohol in their body
• Drivers who have blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measurements that exceed a certain level
• Drivers who are intoxicated and have a minor in the car with them
• Drivers who are arrested more than once on a DUI charge

A DUI conviction can bring more problems for you in the future than you may know. If you are convicted of a DUI charge, it will linger with you forever. This is another reason to look for and hire a competent and experienced attorney in the State of Alaska to help defend you in your case.

In some states, if you have a DUI conviction on your driving record, you cannot obtain a commercial driver’s license or ever drive a school bus. It does not matter if it was only one time a long time ago. Criminal background checks are done almost routinely and easily. If you are looking for employment, your prospective employer could run a criminal background check on you and decide not to hire you on the basis of your DUI conviction.

Having stated the above, you do have options to win your DUI case with the help of an attorney in the State of Alaska. Some things to consider:

• You can challenge your blood alcohol concentration score or breathalyzer test if one was given
• You can challenge the officer’s method of questioning or questions he or she asked you
• You can challenge the accuracy of the officer’s allegations

You can also make a plea bargain, which may not get rid of the charges altogether but will reduce them so they may not be quite as damaging to your future. Circumstances depend a lot on each state’s specific laws. If you have a DWI or DUI charge pending against you, you would be well-advised to find an experienced DUI lawyer in Alaska .

Find legal information and lawyers that specialize in DUI DWI by state: